Search results

This study aims to illustrate the developmental and modernizational state management policies in the early Turkish Republic in the 1930s through the establishment of state-owned cotton textile factories in underdeveloped regions of the country. It analyzes the state’s industrial-cum-social engineering policies and their micro-level role in Turkish economic development.

To illustrate the government’s role in regional industrialization and modernization, this study uses an in-depth case analysis conducted in a sample of textile plants based on a microhistorical approach.

Turkey is considered among late developing countries. Following the War of Independence at the beginning of the 20th century, the new government focused on regional industrialization and social transformation through state-owned universal banks[1] acting as state agents of industrialization and modernization. Primary among them, Sümerbank constructed industrial plants in underdeveloped towns which subsequently became the nuclei of growing industrial centers of private enterprise. Sümerbank plants were also micro-level tools of westernization-based modernization of the society under the social engineering objectives of the new government.

This study uses a specific industrial policy measure (establishment of industrial plants) in explaining the state’s role in industrialization, regional development and social engineering. It sheds new light on the literature on state-led industrial-cum-modernization policies during earlier phases of economic development. It contributes to the international literature on the history of state management of economic and social development.

The study seeks to understand the experiences and perceptions of the university youth regarding the democratic atmosphere of a public university located in Turkey. To this end, the objective of this research is twofold: (1) to investigate university students’ level of civic engagement regarding student activism, exercising rights, and interest in politics; and (2) to explore students’ perception of their university environment regarding the promotion of tolerance, respect for ideas, and participation in decision-making. This study was carried out at a public university located in the middle of Turkey. A mixed-method approach was employed, including both qualitative and quantitative data. A total of 332 undergraduate students participated in the quantitative part while 14 undergraduate students were interviewed in the qualitative part of the study. In quantitative data collection, two self-developed scales were used: Civic Engagement Scale and Perceptions of Democratic University Environment Scale. The results of the data analysis indicated that students’ overall civic engagement level was below the average level. In particular, the level of students’ activism was significantly lower than that of students’ interest in politics and exercising rights, respectively. In addition, the level of students’ interest in politics was significantly lower than that of students’ exercising rights. With respect to the students’ perception of democratic university environment, the data revealed that students’ overall perception of the university environment was slightly above average level. Specifically, the students’ perception of university environment regarding respect for ideas was significantly higher than that of university environment regarding participation in decision-making.